New uncertainty ahead for Ireland?

A new era of uncertainty for Ireland could undermine its emergence from its debt crisis if, as many predict, voters reject the current coalition government in Friday's election. Grace Pascoe reports.

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It's back to the ballot box for Ireland.
For the first time since exiting their bailout deal at the end of 2013.
Opinion polls show the current coalition government will fall short of a majority
Without voters backing a clear alternative.
Jan Randolph is from IHS Global Insight.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) IHS GLOBAL INSIGHT, JAN RANDOLPH, SAYING:
"Well if the polls are to be believed then yes it is going to be another hung parliament, similar in mathematical results to what we have seen in Spain. I think the interesting spoiler here could be Sinn Fein, the minority party, but again it's the establishment parties under pressure."
Ireland's economic recovery has been strong.
And current Prime Minister Enda Kenny's attempting to sway undecided voters pledging to "keep the recovery going".
Nonetheless this vote could unsettle it.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) IHS GLOBAL INSIGHT, JAN RANDOLPH, SAYING:
"They are not looking at the success of the economic recovery, the recovery of house prices certainly in Dublin, the lower unemployment. They are looking at, well we have endured this pain, we are not giving the benefits to the current government for that. So we will end up with this hung parliament, the protest vote will be quite strong."
This would echo recent elections in Portugal and Spain.
Where anger at austerity, rising social inequality and mistrust of established politicians led to indecisive outcomes.

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